I left the foreign company and came to the private enterprise on the 278th day.

Foreign enterprises VS private enterprises, who will be better?

Some time ago, the grand celebration of P & G's 30th anniversary was brushed on the screen for three days. The 500-member alumni association was held in Guangzhou, where everyone celebrated and felt, hugged each other and took a group photo, proud that they had been a member of this great company.

Procter & Gamble, a company with a history of 100 years, has exported batch after batch of great workplace talents for China, who are honest, thoughtful, professional, enterprising, full of enthusiasm and courage.

On the same day, HR sent a message in the work group saying that a general manager from Procter & Gamble, who was also from me, had left and had been at the company for less than four months. Colleagues said he set a new record for Procter & Gamble's shortest tenure in the company.

Procter & Gamble, in their eyes, has become the name of halo and doubt.

Foreign enterprises and private enterprises, like the two major factions in the rivers and lakes, look at each other, seduced and afraid of each other.

Foreign enterprises are a high-end hall, with complete strategies, sophisticated processes, unified values, abundant talents, suppliers and customer resources.

On the other hand, the private enterprise is a charlatan with special skills, with the same mind as a wolf, a team like the army, the spirit of smashing advertisements regardless of cost, and the approachable ctrl c & ctrl v, in the gap of bullshit between foreign enterprises and the world, quickly occupied all kinds of opportunities & shy;.

People in private enterprises have always wanted to learn something from foreign enterprises. They always suspect that their ideas and methods of play are not complete and superior. They somehow believe that those foreign enterprises that have been immortal for a hundred years have mastered the universal truth.

On the other hand, people in foreign enterprises always want to try themselves in private enterprises. they are tired of the narrow range of rights and too meticulous and slow processes in foreign enterprises, but they are afraid of losing the preferential treatment of foreign companies and being trampled to death by wolves.

Today is the 278th day that I left Procter & Gamble and joined a private enterprise. Miss Magic said: do not write an article, ah, the evil of rivers and lakes will suddenly flash after two years, as long as you write an article, you will hit your face.

But often be scanned by false stories, want to make a small summary in the old and new days, can be regarded as a survival strategy for more than 200 days.

01

Learn to distinguish

Essence and second-hand Logic

If you change the environment, many people will die from their belief in second-hand logic.

My definition of second-hand logic is a theoretical framework that can be established under certain circumstances. Any theory has a boundary, whether transplanting from one scene to another transcends its boundary, which is a question that requires special attention and discrimination.

A lot of people didn't leave P & G's first job for long (I only did it for a month), and they were frightened by the oncoming chaos.

The framework and the most basic beliefs inherent in the mind suddenly failed:

Why is there no project leader?

Why doesn't everyone send out invitations to the meeting on the calendar?

Why is the visual design of this place so different?

Why do you always ask the customer for advice?

Many incomprehensible phenomena will subvert the perception of foreign companies for more than a decade. In the chaos, we have come to the conclusion that this place is too messy to stay.

Compared with a company like Procter & Gamble, everything is a mess.

A month after I started, my boss asked me how I felt about the brand, and I said:

Unlike Procter & Gamble's brand, our brand is designed, or successful foreign brands are transplanted here, and they are unified, complete and justified.

Our brand grew after more than 20 years, like a tree, leaving a lot of traces of exploration and trial and error at that time, so it seems that she is chaotic, incomplete, and even contradictory. That's normal.

The existence of any situation has its reason and background, whether we can peel off the surface and understand the causes behind it, which affects the way we look at the problem.

Whether we can survive in a new and difficult environment depends not on patience and perseverance, but on deeper understanding. Because you can understand, you can make a judgment: either accept it or change it.

Each industry is different, fast consumption, consumer tolerance, or luxury goods; every crowd is different, girls, mothers, men, children or the elderly; each channel is also different, supermarkets, specialty stores, cosmetics stores, and even each e-commerce platform has a different way of playing.

Why can we change jobs? why can we switch in such different fields? As the saying goes, my mentor, Mr. Jing Jie, who I called to talk to when he was filling his teeth, became the president of Tmall, who attracted a lot of attention, quoting his speech at the alumni association.

Back to the nature of business, is the brand and consumers, that is, supply and demand.

To find the most essential and simple core behind everything, it must not be a theoretical system, a model or a framework:

The more complex the system is, the more limited the application scenario will be; the more complete the theory is, the more stringent the applicable conditions will be; forget those conclusions, apply those methods, and use the thinking methods taught to us by foreign enterprises. To find the industry, this product, this channel, the motivation, obstacles and habits of these users, do not apply, do not copy, do not simply transplant.

At Procter & Gamble, we often copy in different categories, the so-called reapply (again), which is not a good habit.

Make a battery shelf and put it at the cashier, razor, toothbrush and toothpaste.

Sanitary napkins are issued as a trial suit, and facial cleanser and bath lotion are also distributed. Sanitary napkins can feel the difference once used, so the trial can stimulate the purchase.

But it feels the same to wipe your face and wipe a kilo of oil. is it really useful to distribute hundreds of thousands of free trial suits?

But Procter & Gamble is lucky to disappear quickly, and it won't hurt if it doesn't do any good to each other. But it would be very dangerous to switch to a wider range of industries.

02

Put down your standard of judging people.

To face everyone.

Leadership, strategic thinking, cooperative spirit, discipline, control, etc., usually foreign enterprises have such a unified set of criteria for evaluating people.

Talk to the boss, quarterly self-examination, annual rating, we have to score ourselves on these items. When dealing with subordinates, superiors and cooperative departments, we will also say that this person has strong leadership and that person has problems with his ability to cooperate.

When recruiting, foreign enterprises have first used this set of criteria for selection, and people who enter the company have a basic similar appearance. It is said that the two most common constellations in P & G are Aries and Scorpio. Scorpio occupies the high position with strong leadership and ambition, while Aries dominates the middle with fiery winning passion and problem-solving skills.

At the beginning, the team of private enterprises is a different small team, some people can think, some people can work. Based on the small-scale cooperation of different people, private enterprises have gradually developed larger and larger departments. when recruiting, each department pays more attention to professional ability rather than universal quality.

What's more, the people who gather in private enterprises have very diverse experiences and backgrounds, from foreign enterprises, from private enterprises, from Party B, as well as Guan Peisheng trained by this enterprise. Behind such a complex face, there is a regrettable truth: not too high wages.

So you can't expect to hire a Stanford MBA or a middle manager with more than five years of experience in a foreign company, whose salary is already much higher than what you can give.

But you have to take this team forward, and if you want to make something beautiful and handy, the only way is to let go of those unrealistic standards of talent and get to know each of them.

To arrange specific work according to their background, advantages, motivations and aspirations, we need to spend more effort to figure out who can be combined with whom, who is best not to contact with whom, and who can rest assured that he can have a meeting with the agent. who is the first time to come into contact with such a project, we must pay close attention to everything.

Nowadays, people are not good, they can't recruit people, and the salary is too low. Such complaints are like an endless cycle, blocking what you can't do between the team you take over and the results you expect. There are also many people who finally give up and return to foreign enterprises because they cannot handle the complex and strange-looking team of private enterprises.

Although private enterprises lack three good students with comprehensive quality of foreign enterprises, they are inevitably full of special students with special skills. Whether we can make good use of them, or even coax them, is a test.

Even those good-for-nothing hooligans are useful, and you can ask them to help you carry the C quota and fire them magnanimously at the end of the year. A Procter & Gamble colleague who has been out for many years said with deep essence.

03

Don't be in awe of rules and procedures

Be in awe of talents and resources

Many people think that private enterprises are confused and think that it is a lack of process. No, private enterprises do not lack a sound process, what private enterprises lack is the necessary capacity and resources to implement the process.

On the other hand, people in foreign enterprises have lived in detailed processes and systems for a long time, and have developed inexplicable habits and awe of these things. I think I would rather not do business well than make political mistakes. When such ideas are transplanted to private enterprises, it is often bad, because if you don't dare to question the process, you really can't do anything well.

For example, in foreign enterprises, we all know big marketing projects, so we should ask advertising companies to compare drafts. Procter & Gamble raised a flag, advertising companies from all over the world came with their heads in hand to pick up brief, brainstorm, and contribute the best proposal, hoping to become P & G's partner.

When I came to the private enterprise, I was also told that all projects should be compared. Then, when we raised the flag, no company came to participate in the draft. It's better than that. I don't even have a draft.

Company 4A directly said that no matter how much we paid, we would not take part in the draft; some companies said that we did not take projects from private enterprises and suffered too much losses; some politely said that we were too busy recently and had no energy. Do you want to follow the company process and continue to wait?

When I brought in the advertising company I worked with at that time, and when their creativity really conquered all levels of managers, I was suddenly sued in court one day, saying that it was a designated supplier. This is a very scary hat.

Having trained in a foreign company for many years, I certainly know that this is a political issue. Which is more important, processes or resources? Choose politically correct security, or take the risk to move forward?

For many nights, I spent a lot of time brushing the screen in the work group. I want to say one thing: face the reality. Who we are and who are willing to cooperate with us, don't talk about the perfect process first, find the resources that can be used and get things done.

Maybe the bosses were confused by me and didn't want to see my late-night monologue any more. My project was inexplicably approved one by one, with comments to advance first and improve the process as soon as possible.

At the P & G alumni association, a HR's words were brushed: we will all leave P & G, and we sincerely hope that you will leave with honor and a better choice.

What a broad mind. When I was at Procter & Gamble, I often sent away one man after another with sincere blessing, sending them to start a business, to study abroad, and to take up higher positions in various companies.

Because I am not afraid, Procter & Gamble has plenty of talent reserves, and some people who can't find a task are on top at any time. In all parts of the world, there are people you can dispatch, send one away, and there will be another one.

But private enterprises are different. Foreign enterprises are full of people who can't find a place, but private enterprises can't find a place for them. After leaving alone, no one can make up for it. There is no global talent reserve, there is no talent echelon ready to promote. There is even no one who can be recruited, and even if he is recruited a few months later, it is not sure whether he will be able to pass the probation period.

Today, a designer offered to leave, and I still kept an elegant smile at P & G and said, bless you and hope you find a job that makes you more satisfied. But at the end of the conversation, I couldn't help adding: in case things don't go well there, come back as soon as possible.

It is not that I have lost the great mind of P & G, I just don't have any more talents in P & G.

When they gave their men a raise in salary and promotion, they said thank you to the leader. I really want to say to them from the bottom of my heart: don't thank me, I want to thank you for not leaving.

04

Don't ask the boss what he wants.

Ask yourself what you want.

Foreign enterprises give people a kind of sense of security. You can often ask the boss: what is our goal? What is our KPI? What's your opinion?

When you make a plan, each department will give its own opinion, and in a knowledgeable and well-structured organization, each department will make the best solution with professional advice and KPI that contain each other. Although the process is slow, you know, you don't have to take full responsibility for the result. Everyone is sharing the responsibility.

In foreign companies, we often complain that we don't have much room to play, because we are sandwiched between departments, all kinds of opinions are consulted, and your choice is decided.

When I came to the private enterprise, I suddenly found myself free. Freedom is a terrible feeling, that is, when you say a word casually at the meeting, everyone is nodding, and then you are going to do it.

When you are not sure about your plan and want to discuss it at the meeting, there is no objection.

Do you want to ask the boss whether it is reliable? the boss says that you are the most professional and we listen to your opinion about the brand.

In the past, it was to persuade the heads of various departments to kill a bloody way for themselves, but now, all the people who should have opposed in front of them have retreated to both sides, a bright path, but I suddenly dare not take a step forward.

Am I really right? Is it really reliable? Are you sure you won't screw it up? I'm the only one to blame for screwing up. Because I am the most professional, everyone is listening to me.

Legend has it that there is a lot of pressure to come out and do things. It turns out that it is not that the boss has too many opinions, but that he has no opinions. Every time I put forward a proposal to make a decision, I exhausted all my professional experience to demonstrate my judgment, but in fact, no one listened to my argument. I was just emboldening myself and telling myself.

In the days when I left a foreign company, boldness became my most outstanding advantage.

Some people say that in foreign enterprises, it is a process of self-learning and accumulation, and when it comes to private enterprises, it is consumption. I don't think so. Private enterprise is a testing ground for you to explore. Since no one knows the correct answer, you can always try.

What do I want to gain? What am I going to do? What an exciting and tempting question it is.

For example, when I first arrived, many people told me that e-commerce is not done here, because there are huge offline franchisees, the internal organizational structure is too staggered, e-commerce has not been discussed. You can't even put Tmall Logo on the advertisement.

Tmall, who wanted to be a spokesman for 618, went so far as to be full of opposition. Excuse Me, aren't brand managers all over China begging Tmall's waiter to accept the resources?

One night, maybe I didn't want to kill myself. I sent a few tough messages to my boss. The main idea is that where the consumer is, the brand will be there. It is criticized that Tmall and JD.com focus on the largest number of consumers in the world, while we are blindfolded and fooled on these two platforms.

I should have sent it while drinking, with the idea that I could get a job anyway, and told the truth with little leeway.

Unexpectedly, the boss replied that he agreed with me and that he was determined to solve the problem. A few months later, our e-commerce was really restructured. Omni-channel brand building is written in the strategy for the next three years. The children said excitedly, "really?" Can we embrace e-commerce in all directions?

In fact, I have never been in contact with e-commerce, I honestly told the boss.

The boss looked at the e-commerce team still being built, the brand-new store with few fans, the goal of Singles Day and my innocent face. He must have been fooled.

What you want to try, what you want to learn, what you want to achieve, just do it. What if you say it fails?

The worst thing is to get fired, can't you find a job? This is the most sentence I have said since I took the job. I often make some decisions, say some words, quarrel and want to do something with the intention of being fired. I always take risks. If I want to mix my salary safely, why not choose a foreign company with good pay?

05

Draw a line for life

You should abide by it even if you are not afraid to offend others.

Do private enterprises have weekends? Do you work overtime every day? Yes, there is. Yeah, it's added. Which company doesn't work overtime? Foreign companies will pretend to be benevolent to encourage you to work-life balance, private enterprises are more realistic, do not even say this sentence.

How to keep a life? Do you have the courage to draw a line for yourself and are not afraid to offend your boss's strict compliance?

There is a regular monthly meeting at the weekend, which the president will also attend. I bought a ticket early to take the kids to the show. The boss was very kind to me and allowed me to take the morning off. When I slipped into the conference room with takeout at noon, the president found me and said, "Oh, why are you so late? we're all done." I had the nerve to say, "that's just right. I'm leaving."

The president doesn't hold a grudge against me. In fact, they are all reasonable and good people.

Another time, on Saturday morning, my staff suddenly called me and said, "the boss asked you to come this afternoon." he said he would come for a while and listen to his thoughts together. I said I really can't go. I'm out with the kids. If I have to listen, please take a recording and send it to me.

My men are very honest. She really brought a tape recorder. I think the boss has crooked his nose, but he still put up with me. Said with a smile: all right, you record it.

06

If you want to reduce some stress

Just tell people that I don't know.

From foreign enterprises to private enterprises, there is always some halo. It seems that people say, oh, you graduated from Peking University. Peking University has been reciting for me for several years, and now it's P & G's turn. We have to resist such a halo, for fear that others will find out that we know nothing, so we are even more belittled. Self-confidence and inferiority complex, flipping over like a coin.

The pressure is that you don't know if it will succeed, but you have to pretend to be confident.

Participate in the space group meeting for the first time to discuss the planning and design of an area in the store. Everyone looked at me and said it was up to the brand. I sat there with no idea at all.

But I don't understand at all. Accidentally, I didn't pretend to go on. I told the truth. I only put shelves in Kuaixiao, a pure flat work. I have no space imagination at all. The design director opposite looked down and smiled, saying that he had never seen me as a leader like this.

I find this trick very useful. People no longer have unrealistic expectations of me. I can also be an ordinary consumer and give some opinions based on my own level.

Later, at the annual meeting, I said to all my colleagues in the business department: I don't know if I can succeed in what I have done this year. I only know where the goal is. Only by taking this step can we know where the success or failure lies.

Later, at the order meeting, I said to more than 1,000 franchisees: this is the first time I have done this, and I have no experience of success, not even failure. But I think it's worth a try, so I'd like to join you and try it without hope.

Later, at the strategy meeting, I said to the senior management and the president: you can order me any KPI, because I don't know what I can do, and I don't even have a basis for bargaining; I don't know how much sales the media investment will bring this year. I can give an estimate based on the basic principles, but to be honest, no number can be reviewed.

After 278 days on the job, I didn't have any pressure. I think I put all the pressure on others to see people who don't know anything try this and do that in the company. With the idea of leaving, arguing, talking back, quarrelling. This is something I dare not even think about in a foreign company, probably because the working language at that time was English, so I knew I couldn't win the quarrel.

07

The last item of the strategy

Don't think that if you live in jianghu, you have to get worse and always be a good person with integrity.

And don't be afraid of others to know that you are a good man of integrity.

Thank P & G for telling me and making me believe this for the rest of my life.

Finally, like P & G, I would like to thank the company I currently work for, my bosses. They have been putting up with my jumping up and down, support me I do not know the experiment, they are living up to their promises, bear pressure and responsibility. They are indeed the kind of nonsense entrepreneurs that I respect.